The darkest page of the book of Mutiny is that which contains the story of Cawnpore. In May 1857 there were 3,000 native troops at that place, and about 300 Europeans, under command of Sir Hugh Wheeler, an old man of seventy-five. Wheeler had reason to expect his force to mutiny, and appealed to Nana Sahib, a neighbouring prince representing the dethroned Mahratta Peishwah of Poonah, to help him. Nana had an undoubtedly genuine grievance against the Government. On the death of the last Peishwah, Lord Dalhousie had refused to continue the pension to his adopted son Nana, thereby violating the Hindoo principle that all the rights of sonship, material as well as spiritual, are conveyed by adoption. Nana, whose real name was Seereek Dhoondoo Punth, was rich and hospitable, and delighted in entertaining English officers and their ladies at his residence near Cawnpore. He responded cordially to Sir Hugh's invitation, and came at once to Cawnpore with 300 men and two guns, to help to keep order. His arrival coincided with the revolt of the garrison, and he placed himself at once at the head of the mutineers. Wheeler had taken refuge in an old hospital building with about 1,000 Europeans, of whom 280 were women and girls, with about the same number of children. A hasty entrenchment was thrown up, and Wheeler refused Nana's summons to surrender. For nineteen days, under the tropical sun of June, this handful of brave men maintained the defence of their crumbling mud wall against thousands of rebels. The assailants were reinforced by a contingent of Oude men, who made a fierce assault on the place; but the English were fighting for more than their mere lives; the presence of their women and children made each man bear himself like a Paladin. The attack was repulsed, and this prolonged resistance soon began to tell on the prestige of Nana, for Hindoos and Mahomedans alike appreciate prowess in the field. He offered terms to the besieged: "All those who are in no way connected with the acts of Lord Dalhousie, and who are willing to lay down their arms, shall receive a safe passage to Allahabad." [Illustration: A. Post and Telegraph Offices. B. High Court. C. Clock Tower. D. University. E. Secretariat. PUBLIC BUILDINGS, BOMBAY. Bombay is for Europeans the Gate of India, the port of arrival and departure for both passengers and mails. It is in direct communication by railway with Calcutta and Madras. Population (1891), 822,000.] [Illustration: _From a Photograph_} {_by F. Frith & Co._ NATIVE HOUSES IN THE FORT, BOMBAY.] [Illustration: _From a Photograph_} {_by F. Frith & Co._ STATUE OF THE QUEEN AND TELEGRAPH OFFICE, BOMBAY. The Statue, executed in white marble by Noble, was unveiled by Lord Northbrook in 1872. A native superstition ascribes the origin of the recent plague to vengeance for an insult offered to this statue, which was one morning found bedaubed with tar.] [Sidenote: The Massacre.]